Another festive season is here (and the stores are already in Christmas mode). These days our holidays seem to roll into each other – Thanksgiving, Hallowe'en, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Canada Day, birthdays in there somewhere, and perhaps anniversary celebrations too. This means the commercial world is constantly tempting us with seasonal foods and beverages. There are large ......

Many of my clients have questions about what they read online, heard on TV, or were told by a well-meaning friend or colleague. In an era of information overload, it can become difficult to sort through the studies and headlines. For many people it often comes down to using “common sense" or a gut feeling, but that just means it's a personal choice or subjective decision. If you're not sure, seek out the experts in their respective fields (I don't ask my dentist to dye my hair after all). Health professionals should be using current research and evidence in their practices.

It's back to school and time for fall activities to start. For many people, including my clients, this means packing lunches for their kids, acting as a chauffeur and putting healthy eating further down the priority list. You may be trying to enjoy the nice weather or get outside to move your body, but find that you're too busy. Whatever reasons or excuses you have for not eating healthfully, there are many possible solutions when you're motivated to change.

Athletes and active individuals don't always have a lot of time or money to spend on their diet. Yet, we know that food and beverage choices have an effect on health, performance, and recovery. Whether it's a university or college student living on their own while at school or a triathlete training away from home, healthy eating CAN occur on a budget. This may mean dealing with a tight schedule and limited cooking skills, but a little preparation can go a long way and allow you to do the same.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

There are many reasons to choose to eat well and many benefits that can be gained from healthy food choices. Eating a plant based diet is one thing you can do to help lower your chances of getting cancer.

There are three omega-3 fats that you may have heard of: ALA, DHA, and EPA (alpha-linolenic acid, docosahexanaenoic , and eicosapentaenoic acid). They are considered to be essential fats because we need to get them from our diet. Our bodies can't make ALA, and can only make limited DHA and EPA from the ALA, so it is important to include food sources on a regular basis.

Omega-3s can help prevent...

When we talk about weight gain or weight loss we need to consider how the energy balance is being swayed. For weight maintenance we want energy in (calories consumed) to equal energy out (calories burned). When:

energy in > energy out = weight gain

energy in < energy out = weight loss

Vegetables contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants - all known to help fight disease and allow your body to perform at its best. The nutrients (carbohydrate, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins such as folate) work together to provide the overall health benefits. Vegetables are also low in fat and calories (the exception being olives and avocados) making them a great snack any time of the day.

Adequate nutrition and hydration during activity provides the energy needed to perform at a high level, allows for mental focus and skill execution, and helps prevent hunger and thirst. The duration and intensity of your activity will affect your food and fluid needs, as well as the temperature, humidity, and altitude at which you are being active. This is a very individualized science and your needs may differ from your workout partner or teammate.

It's important to start to make healthy food choices on a regular basis, but once you add more activity to your life it's important to look at your food choices around your activity. With more activity comes a higher sweat and energy loss. These fluid and food losses need to be replaced to fuel your next workout session.